Health Care America

This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's spotlight on front groups and corporate spin.

Health Care America describes itself as a "nonpartisan, not-for-profit advocacy organization devoted to promoting the fundamental principles of access, choice, quality, innovation and competition in our health care system."[1] The group is structured as a "501(c)(4) Civic Leagues and Social Welfare Organizations" under U.S. tax law, according to GuideStar.[2]

Its website states, "We believe that unnecessary regulations, mandates and frivolous lawsuits generate billions of dollars in excess health care costs and prevent millions of Americans from accessing the health care they deserve."[3]

The group describes its base of support as "consumer choice advocates, including employers, individuals, hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, health care professionals and others."[4]

Countering "Sicko"

Health Care America, whose Web site says it is funded in part by pharmaceutical manufacturers, staged a conference call that drew nearly 20 reporters from around the country, including correspondents from the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post, organizers said.

"The purpose of the call was to discuss what Michael Moore left out of his movie," the group's executive director, Sarah Berk, said. "We're launching an educational effort to educate the public and the media and lawmakers about the realities of single-payer health care systems around the world."

The New York Times reported: "Health Care America, a group that is financed in part by pharmaceutical and hospital companies, placed an advertisement in a Capitol Hill newspaper stating: 'In America, you wait in line to see a movie. In government-run health care systems, you wait to see a doctor.'" [6]

Health Care America's website lists as least five press releases from the group related to "Sicko":

In addition, the broadcast public relations firmMultiVu distributed soundbites and B-roll video (basically, an unassembled video news release) from Health Care America, shortly after the release of "Sicko." The sponsored PR videos was titled "What Michael Moore Left Out of His Movie: Canadian Patients and Health Care Experts Tell Other Side of Story."[7]

Funding

On its website the group does not disclose any details of its funders.[8]